I have just started my third, 3 year “sentence a day” book. This is my 7th year of recording a sentence or two about each day.

One book is titled “The highlight of my day” which more accurately reflects what I write.
I don’t follow the prompts for each day. Sometimes I write about what I’ve done, where I’ve been, what I’ve seen or read. Sometimes I mention world news, but not often. Sometimes it is just an ordinary day.

I enjoy looking back. On this date on previous years, we’ve been tourists in London, we went to an ice sculpture exhibition, we spent the day at The Old Bailey, observing cases in the law courts. We visited a Music and Arts festival, and after a day at work, I searched for a mural that I’d heard about. Back in 2012, I commented on the global financial crisis, which was relevant to my job at the time.

A new idea that my daughter shared is “my year in pixels”. I’m recording a colour for each day in excel, while she has coloured pens and is recording in her diary planner. We will look back on each month, on the overall trend, within the context of our current life, her as a new stay at home mum with a teething baby, me currently enjoying a period of summer non-employment and daily beach walks.

I began with “7 things” idea from dayzeroproject.com
Learn to … a new skill or hobby?
Start … develop a habit
Stop … break a habit
Take a holiday to … where you’d most like to go
Find … what are you looking for?
Try … one new thing you want to try
Be more … a personal characteristic to improve

However, I struggled to choose just one for each task so I have selected 18 things.

I also want to continue 18 things …
~ connecting with nature each week
~ maintaining strong relationships with family and friends, near and far
~ being the best NanR that I can be
~ taking photos
~ blogging
~ sentence a day
~ photo a day and other weekly photo challenges
~ exploring Tasmania
~ developing new friendships
~ challenging myself
~ paying it forward
~ decorating our driftwood tree
~ trying new things
~ supporting local events
~ enjoying Hobart life
~ walking on the beach regularly
~ knitting and crochet
~ being happy with my life and my choices

Several of last year’s challenges involved new things. Things that intrigued, sustained, entertained, informed, delighted and stretched me……

…attending a baby shower, comfortable driving an electric car, going to a house auction, using Uber, sitting exams for the first time in a decade, identifying flowers and trees, attending Fire Warden training, seeing Elton John in concert, seeing “Kinky Boots” theatre show, new foods, new recipes, trying different artisan breads, making iced teas, new restaurants, going to comedy shows, visiting museum exhibitions, learning about Tasmanian bush fires, completing a Cert IV Accounting course, learning new technology, going to the movies, becoming a NanR.

“Never stop learning because life never stops teaching.”

I’ve read books that were gifts on special occasions, or passed on by other avid readers. Books that I have searched out, some that were recommended, others that just grabbed my attention in a charity shop.

I’ve read literature and memoires, play and poetry, travel journals and kids books. Some stories have stayed with me, others I enjoyed in that instant, but couldn’t recall the names of characters now, a few weeks or months on. I have escaped into other people’s lives, in different decades, centuries, both historical and fiction.

It has been a pleasure to talk to strangers, help find an address for a couple going to a house open day, help a child who couldn’t see her parents on a busy waterfront, to just chat to someone queuing for a coffee. At work I organised “dress down Friday” charity collections, we also donated to local food bank. I follow “action for happiness” on twitter who post inspiring ideas.

The arrival of our first grandchild has made “giving unexpected gifts” a joy, yet its own challenge, not to over indulge. He enjoyed his first posted gift.

We had a fabulous trip back to the UK in March. We spent treasured time with family and friends and found time to be tourists on a few days.

I cherish the relationships that have thrived despite the physical miles that separate us. Thank you Skype and Facetime!!

I’ve enjoyed sending hand written letters to friends and family. However, I soon realised that I forgot what news and views I had shared in previous letters, so now I take a photo of the letter before I post it. I love receiving letters and cards so guess other people do to.

I’ve continued to enjoy blogging and post regularly whilst working full time. Twelve months ago, I wasn’t sure how that would work out as my blog originated as “a gap year” pastime. But I’ve found a balance of online time that suits me. I continue to enjoy writing and sharing photos and reading other varied and interesting blogs.

Bless you to everyone I have connected with in the past year x.

Ticks for another 4 challenges.
✔2 – Post on blog at least twice a week and keep up with blog reading.
✔6 – “Pay it forward” on at least six occasions or give an unexpected gift.
✔7 – Times 3 – 21 days in the UK in March, catching up with family and friends.
✔13 – Send a hand written letter each month, more at Christmas.

I thoroughly enjoyed an online photography course mid year. I learnt a lot about my camera and about different techniques. I participated in interesting weekly assignments, encouraged fellow students, saw some lovely photographs and ideas. I still need to practice and there’s always more to learn.

Experimenting with camera shutter speed was fun.

I’ve also enjoyed using my new “olloclip” macro lens that takes amazing images with my iphone. Seeing a new level of detail in everyday objects is intriguing.

As well as our driftwood tree that evolved over the months, I have worked on several crochet and knitting projects, also created a terrarium.

I completed the challenge to submit a picture for one hundred consecutive days, of what made me happy. Check out the website 100happydays.com and my post here.

“We live in times when super-busy schedules have become something to boast about. While the speed of life increases, there is less and less time to enjoy the moment that you are in. The ability to appreciate the moment, the environment and yourself in it, is the base for the bridge towards long term happiness of any human being.”

Ticks for another 3 challenges on the list.
✔ 1 – Take a photography course and learn to use my camera to its full capability.
✔ 10 – Times 10 – Complete #100 Happy Days
✔12 – Experiment with twelve new creative ideas this year.

My first few posts of this year will review the challenges that I set for 2017. Here is the list.

I’m fortunate that I live is such a lovely place, close to nature. Just stepping out on our balcony to capture sunrise or sunset, rainbows or stormy clouds, connects me with nature. Most weeks we walked on a beach or in the bush and got away from city streets and traffic. Sometimes my connection with nature has simply been the appreciation of a flower in bloom.

So, No 3 on my list is ticked off
✔ Connect with nature at least three times a week.

Music is a window to our past. Last week, Elton John put on a couple of shows in Hobart and we were fortunate to get tickets.

I was transported from this place and this time, back to London in my teens and twenties. Different songs, different memories, created my own time travel experience.

Elton’s voice and piano playing skills are as good as ever. Some of his band have been touring with him for over forty years. Thank you all for a fabulous show.

The programme to this small regional tour was also a window to the past, reminding us of the vinyl records of his years.

Which Elton song are you singing as you read this? Crocodile Rock? Rocket Man? Your Song? Daniel? Candle in the wind? Don’t’ let the sun go down on me? Philadelphia Freedom? Benny and the Jets? Tiny Dancer?